Water sport riding device



March 15, 1960 F; B. WILBER j 2,928,109

WATER SPORT RIDING DEVICE Filed March 18, 1957 34 34 Fig 3 Fred B. Wi/ber INVENTOR.

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A further important feature of the present invention is V Unite States Patent The present invention generally relates to a riding device and more particularly to a device for use in connection with water sports and generally combines the features of water skis and surfboardsthus providing a riding device for use in various water sports.

An object of the present invention is to provide a" riding device for use in water which incorporates the features of a surfboard and water skis and is constructed so that a rider may easily come to the surface of the water and maintain himself on the surface of the water while being pulled by a boat or other device.

In the employment of conventional water skis as well as surfboards, it quite frequently takes many attempts for an inexperienced rider to reach the surface of the water. Such attempts often result in spills by the rider which endangers him to a certain extent and may cause injury, embarrassment and the like. Therefore, the construction of the present invention is such that even an inexperienced rider usually reaches the surface of the water at the very first attempt and after the riding device reaches the surface of the water, the forward portion thereof tends to split the water for keeping the device to provide a water sport riding device including a feature which prevents the device from diving beneath the surface of the water in the event the rider falls off.

Other objects of the present invention will reside in its simplicity of construction, "ease of use, adaptation for use in various water sports and its relatively inexpensive manufacturing cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference beinghad tothe accom-v panying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the riding device of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially through the center of the device;

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 3-3 gatedski member 30 substantially equal in width to the.

f ice rope 24 with the rear ends of the rope 24 being interconnected by a handle 26 for'gr asping by the rider and the forward ends of the rope 24 converging and connecting to a ring or hitch device 28 for attachment to any suitable tow rope from a boat or othertowing' device. Y

Each of the skisz14. is inthe form of a generally elonlegs 18 and provided with toe bindings 32 on the upper surface thereof and short keels or fins 34 on the rear undersurface thereof to prevent skidding.

The forward end of each of the ski members 30 is connected to a hinge plate 35 extending across a portion of the top surface of the ski member 30 and downwardly along the end edges thereof with the hinge plate 35 being interconnected with a second hinge plate 36 on the upper surface of each leg 18 of the head board 12 by a hinge pin 38 whereby the hinge axis is slightly above the bottom edge of the ski members 30 so that the end of the ski member 30 will form a limit for downward pivotal movement of the bight portion 16 of the headboard 12 substantially as illustrated in Figure 2.

The front undersurface of the head board 12 is provided with a transverse ramp or plate generally trion the device for some reason or other thus maintaining the ski board on the surface of the water.

'The angular relation of the head board 12 in relation to the ski members 30 willprovide lift sufiicient to raise the rider to the surface of the water generally in the first attempt and the two feet formed by the rearwardly exof Figure 2 illustrating the construction of the two foot receiving skis; and I Figure 4 is a bottom partial perspective view of the head board and the projection for preventing diving of the device.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the water sport riding device of the present invention including a generally U-shaped head board 12 and a pair of rearwardly extending skis 14 connected thereto. 7

The head board 12 is generally U-shaped in nature and provided with a relatively wide bight portion 16 with a pair of rearwardly extending legs 18 separated by a U-shaped cut out 20. Each forward corner of the head board 12 is provided with an aperture 22 for receiving a tending legs '18 which terminate beneath the forward portion of the ski members 36 tends to split the water for keeping the board steady. As momentum in speed increases, the head board tends to level and water pressure against the legs 18 and skis 30 hold the skis and rider upon the surface.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the'scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as newj is as follows:

1. A riding device for 'usein water comprising a generally U-shaped head board having a pair of rearwardly extending legs interconnected by a bight portion at the forward end, a pair of rearwardly extending ski members, the forward ends of said ski members. being pivotally connected to the upper surface of and overlying said legs in spaced relation to the rear ends thereof, and a tow rope extending through the bight portion of said head board and being provided with a handle for a rider, the area between said legs and ski members being free of obstructions.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said head board is provided with a transverse downwardly and rearwardly inclined plate on the lower surface thereof for maintaining the device on the upper surface of the water when the rider falls off and the tow rope pulls on the forward end ofthe headboard.

A- water sport riding device comprising a generally U-shaped headboard having a transverse bight portion and a pair of parallel and spaced legs, a tow rope slidably extending through the headboard adjacent the 1 edge thereof remote from the legs, a pair of rearwardly extending ski members disposed in spaced parallel relation to each other, each ski member having a stabilizing fin on the bottom surface thereof adjacent the rear therecf, means mounted on the top surface of each ski member changing the lift characteristics of the headboard due to intermediate the ends thereof for receiving a foot of a the change in inclination thereof.

person, hinge means pivotally connecting the forward ends of the ski members to the upper surface of the legs Refermces Cue! m the file of thls Patet in spaced relation to the free end thereof for providing 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS pivotal movement of the headboard in relationto the 2,382,150 Hartman Aug. 14, 1945 ski members, said ski members and legs being substan- 2 735 115 D568 Feb. 21 1956 tially equal in width whereby the free ends of the legs 7T. project below the plane of the ski members and are dis- FOREIGN PATENTS posed in the path of movement of the ski members for 10 822,466 France Sept. 20, 1937 

